I've been a student of the Tao Te Ching for decades. I've read dozens of translations/interpretations.I'm not familiar with Ken's other books, so I don't have any idea what he writes about, but in his TTC, he repeatedly uses the word terror, or terrify. I've never once come across the word terror in any version of the TTC."Terror is an intense, overwhelming feeling of fear, dread, or panic. It refers to extreme fright, a person or thing that causes such fear, or violent acts used to coerce or intimidate, such as terrorism. Synonyms include panic, horror, alarm, dread, fright, and trepidation."It's a strange choice. It occurs so many times in Ken's translation that I find it distracting. Aside from that, his presentation of the TTC is worthy of anyone's interest. His use of complimentary material from other Taoist sources is very thoughtful.

In my library there are approximately 20 different translations of the Tao Te Ching.I first go to this one, usually this is where I stay.Had I not taken in the wisdom of the tao, I'd say "my favorite". ;)Highly recommended.The audio version is like taking a warm shower in the midst of a beautiful rain forest vibrating with life.

First, Ken Liu is a great writer and has put his language skills together with his bi-cultural understanding of Laozi's wisdom to create a new insight into this ancient life-changing book.Second, he added some stories of the Zhuangzi, the similar important ancient writings of Daoist philosophy, to create a beautiful unity of both these Dao-Aware wise souls.It's an amazing book for readers new to the Dao De Jing as well for Dao De Jing lovers who have read plenty of versions.This book made it in an instant into my top 3 of my favorite Daodejing translations.

I’m a proofreader and language lover, but words simply can’t touch this translation and its profound effect on me in these increasingly dark and depressing times. (And to top it off, it doesn’t contain the ubiquitous typos and grammatical errors of many of today’s writings AND contains words I’ve not encountered before, which is one more reason to treasure it.)The author’s own words about Laozi and the Dao De Jing actually sum up my feelings and thoughts about the book perfectly."Laozi doesn’t comfort. He doesn’t persuade. He doesn’t offer solace."There’s no need for Laozi to convince you of anything, for he’s not trying to sell you anything. You can take his words or leave them; it’s all the same to him."Instead, he invites the reader to have a conversation with his text, through which the readers must discover their own way. The text is not what matters, but the attempt to see the shimmering water flowing beyond the channels of the text."Again and again, Laozi insists, Dao cannot be taught; you must come to it yourself. In that refusal to confront, to judge, to direct, Laozi did comfort me, persuade me, give me solace. What can be more comforting than to have a conversation with a mind that has transcended mortality, a voice that has survived the ages?"

Liu's translation of the Dao De Jing, with his accompanying prose, is a delight to read. While reviewing this ARC from Simon and Schuster, for comparison, I re-read the translation by Addiss and Lombardo( ('93), that I read in college for Taoism class. Liu's translation shines alone, as well as in comparison to the other translation, and reading both interpretations at the same time made for a broader understanding of the spirit of the original. Interspersed between chapters, Liu ties in the second foundational work of Taoism, The Way of Chuang Tzu, to expand on Liu's interpretations and the broader meaning of the Dao De Jing. This is a great addition, pulling in some of the best pieces of The Way, which to me, is the more relatable of the two works. I greatly appreciate Liu's voice, and I hope he'll consider translating The Way also.